Shows his work ethic...plans to start watching Michigan film tonight
STONY BROOK, Tue., Nov. 7, 7p, FS-1
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
Shows his work ethic...plans to start watching Michigan film tonight
Let’s roll into Charleston at 2-0…f the Wolverines!!!
Gotta give the fans some time to connect with the new players I feel like. Then the excitement in the crowd will feel a lot more palpable
St. John's opens Pitino's tenure with impressive win over Stony Brook
Hired in March, the Hall-of-Fame coach strode onto the floor to a raucous ovation from the sell-out crowd at Carnesecca Arena. Joel Soriano had 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting and 11 rebounds.
www.newsday.com
St. John's opens Rick Pitino's tenure with impressive win over Stony Brook
By Roger Rubin
It would be hard to imagine a much better start to the Rick Pitino Era at St. John’s than the one it got on Tuesday night.
The Red Storm christened the season by playing the kind of game so many envisioned when Pitino was hired in March. They defended the full 94 feet of the court and made 11 three-pointers as they posted an impressive 90-74 non-conference victory over a better-than-advertised Stony Brook team before a sellout crowd of 5,602 at Carnesecca Arena.
Even former Storm star Julian Champagnie, in town with Spurs for a game against the Knicks, came out to see Pitino’s debut.
The Red Storm’s tenth straight season-opening win was a high-effort performance. St. John’s played the Hall of Fame coach’s trademark style and showcased many new players fans anticipated seeing.
“It was amazing,” said Harvard transfer Chris Ledlum. “We worked hard all summer, just for this moment and for the season to start. And it just it means a lot that we were able to go out there, play together and play the right brand of basketball . . . You can never really picture how it’s going to go, but it was exciting. It was fun to take it all in and we went out there and did what we were supposed to do.”
“The gym was packed today, I felt the energy from the fans and it was a great show,” Joel Soriano said.
Soriano, down 30 pounds from last season and now well-sculpted, had 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting with 11 rebounds and made the first two three-pointers of his career. Ledlum played a voracious style and finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Daniss Jenkins, who came over from Iona with Pitino, had 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. And Penn transfer Jordan Dingle, the top returning Division I scorer who has missed much of the preseason with a shoulder injury, had 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting.
The Storm (1-0) shot 52% from the floor including 11-for-22 on three-pointers and outrebounded the Seawolves, 43-30. They held Stony Brook to 1-for-11 from the three-point line in the first half and 25% for the game.
“I’m a big believer, as most of you know, in a three-point shot,” Pitino said, “but it’s only good if you stop it. Tonight, they made four and we made 11. It was a weapon.”
As for Pitino — who donned a black suit, crisp white shirt and light red patterned tie — he was also high-energy as he worked his team.
“He was intense today — he was on guys for every little thing we did wrong,” Soriano said. “We saw him getting fired up and he fired us up. I think it was great. I loved the way he coached today.”
“He had great intensity,” Ledlum said. “It was almost like he’d done it before.”
Pitino will coach his first St. John’s game at Madison Square Garden on Monday against Michigan. But Tuesday’s contest clearly inspired Pitino.
“It’s funny. When I was walking out two things came to my mind immediately,” Pitino said. “One was Lou [Carnesecca] . . . I was just thinking of Lou because he’s the reason this place is special and it’s such an honor to take over for him.
“And the second thing I thought of right away was Michigan. We know every game is so important. We think we’re going to be a pretty good team in January, but we’ve got to get to that point without taking too many lumps.”
St. John’s did a lot of things well but is very much a work-in-progress. The starting lineup against Stony Brook was Soriano, Ledlum, Jenkins, UConn transfer Nahiem Alleyne and VMI transfer Sean Conway. Based on the Storm playing plus-23 in Glenn Taylor Jr.’s 18 minutes and plus-17 in Dingle’s 20, there could be changes.
The Red Storm pulled away from a close game when Ledlum had seven points and Dingle had six in a 23-8 run that built a 31-16 lead. Stony Brook cut it to 36-30 on an Andre Snoddy three-point play, but St. John’s led 41-30 when it closed the half with Jenkins hitting Ledlum for an alley-oop dunk.
Soriano’s first three-pointer came with 13:18 left and made the score 63-43. After making it he pointed at Champagnie and smiled.
“He’s always saying I can’t really shoot, so that was really for him,” Soriano said. “I was just pointing to him so he knows.”
Eclipsed in the all the Pitino hoopla and this most-anticipated Storm season was that the Seawolves look far better than the ninth-place team forecasted in the Coastal Athletic Association preseason coaches poll. Dean Noll, who missed all of last season after knee surgery, can get his own shot and make it and scored 15 points. And Central Connecticut transfer Andre Snoddy – a former Newsday All-Long Island pick out of St. Anthony’s – looked like a tough physical matchup for anyone in the CAA as he finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.
“Dean was terrific. He’s a really good player,” SBU coach Geno Ford said. “He was a little tired because he hasn't played in two years, but he'll just get better and better.”
Rocket
Well-known member
Sorry to disagree but this game was played at Carnesecca arena and there is nothing 21st century about!!
I had 10 guys with me and only I was a St. John's grad. They came because it was Pitino and they love college basketball. One guy was a Penn grad and had never been to our arena. He couldn't believe that the Palestra was older but still more comfortable. With a rare packed house the heat was unbearable. Ironically, near the end of the game firemen and police arrived due to a reported heart attack.
Again, getting into the arena was a slow process and hundreds of people missed the tip.
As for the game, SB actually played a decent game. Our defense is still a work in progress. We could have pressed them a few times but coach Pitino had them playing straight up man all night. It didn't always look pretty and we had a few breakdowns.
The funniest thing I saw was the 7ft SB center hit a long 3 and, not to be outdone, Soriano responded with his own 3 and jestered to Julian who was courtside with his fiancee.
I was out there tonight and it was a long time the CA was this excited for a game even though it was Stoney Brook. Saw people I know who haven't been to a game in years and they are pumped. The school knew the potential for a sell out and staffed up the security staffing. The real indication of the crowd size was the delay to get out the Utopia Parkway exit 35 minutes after game was finished. they may need local precient to direct traffic for future games at CA--It was like the "Old Days" and I am sure many of the folks never experienced it.
Liked what I saw; Joel really stepped up in second half and Dingle has a scorer's touch, can see how he was country's second leading scorer. Ledlum got the cob webs out at last.
Interesting fact on Joel in that he set 2 personnel records tonight for his SJU career. Most 3pt shots attempted and most 3pt shots made in a game (and in a season) by going 2-2 from 3pt range. Guess he listened to Coach and put the work in.
Nice to see SJU respond to criticism from this site over the years as to prior players at the game-announced Julian and had him on big screen. Joel was also having some fun with Julian when he made his second three.
As Coach preaches the team is still developing and it can be seen in some of the errant passes as the guys get know each other's game
Liked what I saw; Joel really stepped up in second half and Dingle has a scorer's touch, can see how he was country's second leading scorer. Ledlum got the cob webs out at last.
Interesting fact on Joel in that he set 2 personnel records tonight for his SJU career. Most 3pt shots attempted and most 3pt shots made in a game (and in a season) by going 2-2 from 3pt range. Guess he listened to Coach and put the work in.
Nice to see SJU respond to criticism from this site over the years as to prior players at the game-announced Julian and had him on big screen. Joel was also having some fun with Julian when he made his second three.
As Coach preaches the team is still developing and it can be seen in some of the errant passes as the guys get know each other's game
What is this sorcery? Actually running plays? Hogwash I say! - Mike Anderson
I love that little Jab at JC!St. John's opens Pitino's tenure with impressive win over Stony Brook
Hired in March, the Hall-of-Fame coach strode onto the floor to a raucous ovation from the sell-out crowd at Carnesecca Arena. Joel Soriano had 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting and 11 rebounds.www.newsday.com
St. John's opens Rick Pitino's tenure with impressive win over Stony Brook
By Roger Rubin
It would be hard to imagine a much better start to the Rick Pitino Era at St. John’s than the one it got on Tuesday night.
The Red Storm christened the season by playing the kind of game so many envisioned when Pitino was hired in March. They defended the full 94 feet of the court and made 11 three-pointers as they posted an impressive 90-74 non-conference victory over a better-than-advertised Stony Brook team before a sellout crowd of 5,602 at Carnesecca Arena.
Even former Storm star Julian Champagnie, in town with Spurs for a game against the Knicks, came out to see Pitino’s debut.
The Red Storm’s tenth straight season-opening win was a high-effort performance. St. John’s played the Hall of Fame coach’s trademark style and showcased many new players fans anticipated seeing.
“It was amazing,” said Harvard transfer Chris Ledlum. “We worked hard all summer, just for this moment and for the season to start. And it just it means a lot that we were able to go out there, play together and play the right brand of basketball . . . You can never really picture how it’s going to go, but it was exciting. It was fun to take it all in and we went out there and did what we were supposed to do.”
“The gym was packed today, I felt the energy from the fans and it was a great show,” Joel Soriano said.
Soriano, down 30 pounds from last season and now well-sculpted, had 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting with 11 rebounds and made the first two three-pointers of his career. Ledlum played a voracious style and finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Daniss Jenkins, who came over from Iona with Pitino, had 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. And Penn transfer Jordan Dingle, the top returning Division I scorer who has missed much of the preseason with a shoulder injury, had 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting.
The Storm (1-0) shot 52% from the floor including 11-for-22 on three-pointers and outrebounded the Seawolves, 43-30. They held Stony Brook to 1-for-11 from the three-point line in the first half and 25% for the game.
“I’m a big believer, as most of you know, in a three-point shot,” Pitino said, “but it’s only good if you stop it. Tonight, they made four and we made 11. It was a weapon.”
As for Pitino — who donned a black suit, crisp white shirt and light red patterned tie — he was also high-energy as he worked his team.
“He was intense today — he was on guys for every little thing we did wrong,” Soriano said. “We saw him getting fired up and he fired us up. I think it was great. I loved the way he coached today.”
“He had great intensity,” Ledlum said. “It was almost like he’d done it before.”
Pitino will coach his first St. John’s game at Madison Square Garden on Monday against Michigan. But Tuesday’s contest clearly inspired Pitino.
“It’s funny. When I was walking out two things came to my mind immediately,” Pitino said. “One was Lou [Carnesecca] . . . I was just thinking of Lou because he’s the reason this place is special and it’s such an honor to take over for him.
“And the second thing I thought of right away was Michigan. We know every game is so important. We think we’re going to be a pretty good team in January, but we’ve got to get to that point without taking too many lumps.”
St. John’s did a lot of things well but is very much a work-in-progress. The starting lineup against Stony Brook was Soriano, Ledlum, Jenkins, UConn transfer Nahiem Alleyne and VMI transfer Sean Conway. Based on the Storm playing plus-23 in Glenn Taylor Jr.’s 18 minutes and plus-17 in Dingle’s 20, there could be changes.
The Red Storm pulled away from a close game when Ledlum had seven points and Dingle had six in a 23-8 run that built a 31-16 lead. Stony Brook cut it to 36-30 on an Andre Snoddy three-point play, but St. John’s led 41-30 when it closed the half with Jenkins hitting Ledlum for an alley-oop dunk.
Soriano’s first three-pointer came with 13:18 left and made the score 63-43. After making it he pointed at Champagnie and smiled.
“He’s always saying I can’t really shoot, so that was really for him,” Soriano said. “I was just pointing to him so he knows.”
Eclipsed in the all the Pitino hoopla and this most-anticipated Storm season was that the Seawolves look far better than the ninth-place team forecasted in the Coastal Athletic Association preseason coaches poll. Dean Noll, who missed all of last season after knee surgery, can get his own shot and make it and scored 15 points. And Central Connecticut transfer Andre Snoddy – a former Newsday All-Long Island pick out of St. Anthony’s – looked like a tough physical matchup for anyone in the CAA as he finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.
“Dean was terrific. He’s a really good player,” SBU coach Geno Ford said. “He was a little tired because he hasn't played in two years, but he'll just get better and better.”
St. John’s Cruises to a 90-74 Victory over Stony Brook - St. John's University Athletics
In front of a sold-out Carnesecca Arena crowd, the St. John's men's basketball team secured a 90-74 victory over Stony Brook in the program's first game unde...
dalydoseofhoops
Active member
Pitino’s first act a rousing success as Johnnies cruise in opener
Rick Pitino looks on as St. John’s opened Hall of Fame coach’s tenure with Red Storm with commanding win over Stony Brook. (Photo by Vincent...
dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com
This was unlike any home opener in decades, and maybe we've never had a home opener like this before.
Even if we rolled all the way back to 81-82 when THE Chris Mullin made a heralded debut on Union and Utopia, there was already an excitement that existed about the program and still this would have been just an expected win against a lesser opponent.
Last night just driving to campus alone it felt different. The 188th st GCP exit lane was backed up 1/4 of a mile and took 4 or 5 light changes to get thru. The building had that first day of school feel even walking thru security. You know, wonderment and the happy to be on campus feel that would dissipate by the first chemistry exam.
Man, being at a sold out CA was just awesome. I swear i saw at least 100 people i knew and if I lied i'd say i knew half the fans in attendance. Even before the jump ball it felt like this was the first Christmas morning after the depression, maybe how it felt the first Christmas after WWII. Like a cloud had lifted, and from now on it's going to be the way it used to be. A buzz, a can't wait to shred the wrapping paper off the first gift and finding it wasn't just socks or underwear but something you wanted.. really wanted but wasn't there for years.
Magically the student sections were filled. Before the opening tip, behind the 164th street basket, the first row if students in unison were pounding on the tarp covering the walls of the section - as if they did it before - as if they've always been there. Much too softly they slapped, but still had the feel of the tom toms Infian tribes would beat in a foreboding way before an attack. They'll get better, bigger, louder. After all, it was only day 1 of their st. John's experience.
The play was at times crisp and what we hoped for - a large cast of skilled experienced players drilling open jumpers, taking the ball to the hole with conviction, making deft passes.
The box score tells who stood out but play was way more than that. Dingle is a finisher - he gets whacked on the way to the hoop but still is locked in on scoring, not on grtting to the charity stripe. This is a new york player, a schoolyard type who knows calling a foul is cheap and finishing is the goal. Ledlum looked like a guy who was sand bagging vs. Pace, an assasin who made jumpers and layups. As ferocious as Soriano slams were, and he let go of the rim on the first one milliseconds before getting a T, he howled when nailing a first 3 and even more after the 2nd - Hercules unchained.
Yes, Jenkins is very good - essential - filled a scoresheet with point rebounds assists. But he was a floor general too and that stood out.
You had the feeling thst on any night it will be different guys. Guys who merely contributed last night will bust out the next game and we will be chatting them up. The freshmen looked like freshmen are supposed to, especially compared to 5th year men, who were more than ready to play in a packed arena, some for the first time in their careers.
The beginnings of a star studded crowd. JC in a front row seat. Can Johnny Mac be far behind, or the types who show for nba games? Frank Alagia, not exactly a stanger to CA, watched intently like he'd never missed a game, as if he"d been waiting for this too.
We all have. It's been too long. Maybe that cloud really has been lifted. Maybe. Check back after Thanksgiving. We'll know by then if the turkey is for real or just the tofu bird we've been served far too long. Fun stuff ahead.
Even if we rolled all the way back to 81-82 when THE Chris Mullin made a heralded debut on Union and Utopia, there was already an excitement that existed about the program and still this would have been just an expected win against a lesser opponent.
Last night just driving to campus alone it felt different. The 188th st GCP exit lane was backed up 1/4 of a mile and took 4 or 5 light changes to get thru. The building had that first day of school feel even walking thru security. You know, wonderment and the happy to be on campus feel that would dissipate by the first chemistry exam.
Man, being at a sold out CA was just awesome. I swear i saw at least 100 people i knew and if I lied i'd say i knew half the fans in attendance. Even before the jump ball it felt like this was the first Christmas morning after the depression, maybe how it felt the first Christmas after WWII. Like a cloud had lifted, and from now on it's going to be the way it used to be. A buzz, a can't wait to shred the wrapping paper off the first gift and finding it wasn't just socks or underwear but something you wanted.. really wanted but wasn't there for years.
Magically the student sections were filled. Before the opening tip, behind the 164th street basket, the first row if students in unison were pounding on the tarp covering the walls of the section - as if they did it before - as if they've always been there. Much too softly they slapped, but still had the feel of the tom toms Infian tribes would beat in a foreboding way before an attack. They'll get better, bigger, louder. After all, it was only day 1 of their st. John's experience.
The play was at times crisp and what we hoped for - a large cast of skilled experienced players drilling open jumpers, taking the ball to the hole with conviction, making deft passes.
The box score tells who stood out but play was way more than that. Dingle is a finisher - he gets whacked on the way to the hoop but still is locked in on scoring, not on grtting to the charity stripe. This is a new york player, a schoolyard type who knows calling a foul is cheap and finishing is the goal. Ledlum looked like a guy who was sand bagging vs. Pace, an assasin who made jumpers and layups. As ferocious as Soriano slams were, and he let go of the rim on the first one milliseconds before getting a T, he howled when nailing a first 3 and even more after the 2nd - Hercules unchained.
Yes, Jenkins is very good - essential - filled a scoresheet with point rebounds assists. But he was a floor general too and that stood out.
You had the feeling thst on any night it will be different guys. Guys who merely contributed last night will bust out the next game and we will be chatting them up. The freshmen looked like freshmen are supposed to, especially compared to 5th year men, who were more than ready to play in a packed arena, some for the first time in their careers.
The beginnings of a star studded crowd. JC in a front row seat. Can Johnny Mac be far behind, or the types who show for nba games? Frank Alagia, not exactly a stanger to CA, watched intently like he'd never missed a game, as if he"d been waiting for this too.
We all have. It's been too long. Maybe that cloud really has been lifted. Maybe. Check back after Thanksgiving. We'll know by then if the turkey is for real or just the tofu bird we've been served far too long. Fun stuff ahead.
Went to high school with Derek great guy, I here he's coaching now.
My 2 Sons are students at SJU and my oldest was complaining how packed the parking lot was and my little one was raising money for a charity outside tonight! We are!!!!!
I woke at 4am to watch the replay of the game! Wow thats all I got!
Not going to read too much into the first game but a few very early observations that stood out to me watching the players for the first time.
Very impressed with the defense Jenkins and Taylor played with their feet, not their hands, 46 minutes between them and only one foul each. Liked both of their games very much, throwing out Jenkins 1st half TOs as aberrations, he very much settled down.
Ledlum with a quick first step, nose for the ball and 4 assists with no TOs; liked what I saw here also.
Dingle certainly looks like a scorer but essentially no stats outside of points in 20 minutes, is it the rust of not practicing or his MO? I don’t mean that as a bad thing but more as potentially the way Pitino may use him, a microwave off the bench or a more expanded role? WAY TOO EARLY to tell.
Wilcher, who I have seen play, will be fine, just needs minutes when they are available to learn. Looked a little hyper but not out of place. Dunlap looked like he was just trying to fit in, which is absolutely understandable.
Anyway, good start, Michigan is a very tough 2nd game but an excellent gauge as to where the team is to start the season. May seem like blasphemy to some but the outcome will mean little to me, the BE is more than strong enough for quality win opportunities down the road and I believe results there will be the deciding factor in making the tournament. Everyone who knows anything realizes this team is a work in progress, especially with the injuries to Dingle and Luis.
Very impressed with the defense Jenkins and Taylor played with their feet, not their hands, 46 minutes between them and only one foul each. Liked both of their games very much, throwing out Jenkins 1st half TOs as aberrations, he very much settled down.
Ledlum with a quick first step, nose for the ball and 4 assists with no TOs; liked what I saw here also.
Dingle certainly looks like a scorer but essentially no stats outside of points in 20 minutes, is it the rust of not practicing or his MO? I don’t mean that as a bad thing but more as potentially the way Pitino may use him, a microwave off the bench or a more expanded role? WAY TOO EARLY to tell.
Wilcher, who I have seen play, will be fine, just needs minutes when they are available to learn. Looked a little hyper but not out of place. Dunlap looked like he was just trying to fit in, which is absolutely understandable.
Anyway, good start, Michigan is a very tough 2nd game but an excellent gauge as to where the team is to start the season. May seem like blasphemy to some but the outcome will mean little to me, the BE is more than strong enough for quality win opportunities down the road and I believe results there will be the deciding factor in making the tournament. Everyone who knows anything realizes this team is a work in progress, especially with the injuries to Dingle and Luis.